Are you as excited as we are about the new Arcade Fire?

Man, PopWatchers, am I ever blessed. Why, just yesterday I was sitting in my office, blissing out to the new Shins record, when my co-worker Michael Endelman came in and called me a Sub Pop whore, which was not nice. So to make up for that horribly cutting comment (What gave it away? The Sleater-Kinney T-shirt? Or the other Sleater-Kinney T-shirt?), I forced Endelman to give me his copy of the new Arcade Fire record, Neon Bible.

Okay, not until March 6. But it will be SO WORTH IT, PopWatchers. In fact, my favorite song, “Intervention” (the “Wake Up” of 2007?), can already be downloaded from iTunes. (Proceeds from this used to go to Partners in Health, but I’m not sure if that’s still the case.)

So, did you download it? Did you?? Wow. I mean, have you ever heard a church organ rock so hard? I have not. And I’m a Presbyterian, for crying out loud. I hope it is not betraying my Sub Pop friends if I say that I am in lurve with that song, and cannot wait to play it another 25 times this afternoon.

Anyway, prepare yourself to be moved by the power of the Neon Bible! While the Fire have no TV dates scheduled, there’s plenty to play with on the Interbunny. Your first stop should be the band’s site,where you can read some smart thoughts from Win Butler about waiting to hearthe entire album instead of listening to leaks. It’s an art thing, andhe’s right, and I’m happy I waited. (Insert joke about Presbyteriangirls here.) Then you can check out the band’s fan site, where there’s lots of info about the upcoming tour and other news updates.

And finally, you should hit the ultra-mysterious Neon Bible site,where you can stream “Black Mirror” (the album’s first single) andwatch a bunch of weird video clip stuff. It’s not quite up to Ryan Adams levels of Internet crazytown, but it’s a fun site to play with.